Lightwave demo reel - David Ridlen

[Mr Rid]

Am I the only diehard left using Lightwave for theatrical feature visual effects? And I do not mean only for modeling, or for previz, or shorts, or direct-to-video/cable. I mean whole animation and visual effects shots for wide release, studio movies.

[tischbein3]

some cool stuff

thanks for sharing

[UnCommonGrafx]

Excellent stuff.

I doubt you are. Seems that level of LW worker has rarely frequented the forums; when seen, more in teacher mode or show-off mode (not a bad thing).

Kinda like Rob: he was rarely on the forums. William was but he was paid to be for much of that time.

Having your work here is a testament to what can be done and hints to what the future might hold. And inspiration to us all.

[vonpietro]

great job - nice to see all the fun stuff

[2create]

Love it, great work!

[allabulle]

Great work indeed.

[shrox]

This is why I don't even try...great work.

[jasonwestmas]

Thanks for sharing that!

When you get all the dynamics plugins and combine that with the talent like you, Lightwave is actually quite a decent video fx power house imo.

[Felipe Soto]

Great stuff! thanks for posting.

[Ma3rk]

Definitely a nice body of work.

Curious if your using LW as well for the fluids work.

[TreyX]

absofnlutely beautiful. love.

[SteveH]

Mr. Rid - I hope you are not the last dinosaur - but even if you are - you can be proud of the work you do.
A highly skilled tyrannosaurus!

[Mr Rid]

When you get all the dynamics plugins and combine that with the...

...obsessive compulsion persisting over long nights of hair-pulling frustration.

I just despise the rigid complexity of all things computer related, that inherently oppose spontaneous creativity. The majority of my time is spent troubleshooting and cursing. I rarely get to enjoy the work since it is usually a process of such incremental achievement, I dont get to sit back and take in an overall result with surprise. Each iteration is usually a small step forward, 'Ok, that one glitch is fixed... but now that is screwed up. That doesn't look right.' Redo, render it again, and again, and again... until I cannot see it objectively anymore. I stare at the final animation looping, trying to see it objectively, but I can't tell the effect of what I did anymore. The process is so mired in technical convolution, I find computer animation to be too much of an endurance test to fully enjoy, as opposed to more organically immediate art forms. It requires a certain, high-functioning form of OCD ("perfectionist" is the more flattering term), that takes precedence over social life, proper sleep, and trying to not throw things. I think I have just been doing it too long.

Lightwave is actually quite a decent video fx power house imo.

It is. Unfortunately, development floundered for way too long in the past. It finally moved in the right direction once someone with production experience was in charge. Mainstream movie visual FX are the highest CG benchmark, where I seriously think I am the only person still using LW, but on lower budget shows.

Mr. Rid - I hope you are not the last dinosaur ...A highly skilled tyrannosaurus!

That is funny because that is what a certain producer predicted I would become back in 2003, "A talented dinosaur."

[hrgiger]

Incredible work David as always.

[DAMAKERS]

Good to see u around Riddle, like your demo reel!!!, as always said LW is very capable, thats why i keep using it; also was asking my self the same question you did, and you answer me! he he, have not seeing so much works from Lightwavers of those days around, i updated my demo too few days ago and some people still ask me... is that lightwave? and i have to say...YES! , always tell them that the software does not makes the artist, is the artist that choose the tools that fits his needs, and in my case LW does . (forgive my english, long time i dont write it)